Sunday, 29 January 2012

It is almost a year since the 2011 Winter Capsule Wardobe Challenge.
Does anyone want to join up for the 2012 challenge.
This year I was planning on the week beginning Monday February 20th.
For anyone new to the challenge here's a post from last year.

The rules are:

Choose ten items of clothing from your wardrobe and mix and match them for five days between Monday Feb 20th and Friday Feb 24th.
You can have any combination of shoes, dresses, skirts, tops and jackets as long as it adds up to ten individual items.
You are also allowed five accessories which include jewellery, scarves, bag, belts etc.
Underwear and hosiery do not come under the ten items and five accessories!
If you are joining the challenge please blog about it and if you want to appear in my Capsule Wardrobe Challenge round-up the following week then please email your pics to workthatwardrobe@googlemail.com

Saturday, 28 January 2012

I met up with some friends in Cafe Nero on Saturday.
It was a lovely day and as the village is only five minutes away on my bike I decided to cylcle in.
I was a little early so had a mooch around the charity shops.
I picked up this lovely Vila Skirt from Oxfam for 99p.

I also found this fabulous Hobbs skirt for £4.49 in the Claire House Charity Shop.

It was a size 8 and I am a 10, but as Hobbs is quite a generous brand I decided to take a risk..
I am so glad I did as it is a perfect fit.

My new cardigan from Boden also arrived today.
I had sent back a blouse I had bought because the seam was coming undone and they gave me a full refund so with half the proceeds I bought the ruby spot version of this cardigan in the Boden sale for £27.50.
As I need to start saving for my daughter's school trip in 2013 I think this will be my last spree for a while.

Friday, 27 January 2012

So glad it's Friday.
It's been a sicky week for my family.
Monday, my son was ill.
Tuesday he was back in.
Wednesday my daughter was off and tonight I feel like taking to my bed.
Ah the joys of winter!

Thursday, 26 January 2012

I love the sleeves on this blouse.
I love the vibrant red.
It may be a bit dressy for work but I cannot resist this blouse on a cold and frosty morning.
Today was the College Careers Convention and it was very pleasing to see a whole sports hall filled with exhibitors, and even more pleasing to see students queuing up outside the door to get in.
When I was at sixth form college our careers advice consisted of a shelf of books in the library.
Our UCAS form, or UCCA form as it was called was handwritten and the personal statement consisted of one paragraph.
I was fortunate enough to get into my first choice university - Bangor University - where I studied a BA (Hons) English.
I graduated in 1988.
I often wonder what I would do if I was 18 again.
How about you?

Wednesday, 25 January 2012

Wednesday is known as Winesday in our house.
The glorious midweek treat of a glass of red wine or two.
I have been so good.
Two wine free days already this week which makes my delicious treat even more enjoyable.
I pass a Waitrose on the way home from work and pop in for whatever wine they have on offer.
I have never had a bad bottle of wine from Waitrose.
I love that shop.
If only I could do my whole week's shop there.
Instead I settled for a couple of packs of marked down falafels and a bottle of Primitivo.
Cheers!

Tuesday, 24 January 2012

Another day.
After last night I wasn't sure I would feel so bright and cheerful today.
Another teenage tantrum over a confiscated mobile phone!
Wasn't life so much easier before mobile phones, home computers, X-boxes, laptops etc?
I could go on.
But then I would sound just like my mum about 30 years ago.
And If I need another reminder of sinking into middle age I need only look at my waistline.
Not that it is any miracle weight gain, just the combined effect of eating too much food, drinking too much red wine and moving far less than I used to.
I know what I need to do.
But where has my willpower gone?

Saturday, 21 January 2012

I had never really got to grips with finding words to describe my style as advised by Imogen.
However, this week my colleague and I were trawling through the staff photos to try and identify members of staff who we didn't yet know.
We came across a Sociology Teacher.
"I love her sense of style," I said.
My colleague laughed.
"You both dress in the same way that's why you like it. You both have a quirky sense of style."
So there it is.
Quirky.
At 45 I have finally found a word to describe my dress - quirky.

It was another busy week at college and after reading Lorena's blog about the step she has taken to help her move into a teaching career it made me realise how lucky I am.
I love working with 16-19-year-olds.
One of my students is totally blind.
He doesn't like the phrase "sight impaired."
He prefers to be called blind.
I spent two break times with him this week and he showed me the vast array of equipment he uses to enable him to work alongside sighted students on his Music Course.
I am totally in awe of him.

Friday, 13 January 2012

A busy week at college.
We finally completed the UCAS forms.
On top of my normal duties since October I have guided 40 students through their personal statements, written their references and checked their forms.
I pushed the final button on the final form today.
I have volunteered to take one of the Reading Groups in March and will be leading an hour long discussion on "The Yellow Wallpaper."
And today I had a meeting with the Head of English and from next term I will be running the college's creative writing group.
I feel tired but blessed to be doing such a wonderful job.

Tuesday, 3 January 2012

2012 marks my 5th year in the blogsphere which began in July 2008 with workthatwardrobe - my quest to spend a year without spending money on clothes.The Small Fabric evolved from there and over the past few years I feel my style has developed.I wish to continue blogging but I don't want this to be onerous.Therefore I have decided to disable the comments section and just post my outfits.I will continue to visit the blogs on my bloglist and keep in touch that way.I look forward to a year of getting back into shape and developing my style.The next post will start the stripped down version of my blog.However, if you would like to contact me I am always happy to receive emails - thesmallfabric@gmail.comI'll leave you with my New Year's Eve outfit.Shoes - ClarksDress - Tesco Couture